"The Tell-Tale Heart" and "Araby"

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe (1843)


1. Who are the protagonist and antagonist? How do you know?

The protagonist of "The Tell-Tale Heart" is the narrator of the story. This is shown through the way the story is told, the narrator wants to take the life of the old man and he tells everything he does from his very own perspective. This makes him the leading role of this story, the protagonist. The antagonist of the story is the old man. He is the opponent to the narrator.

2. What is the conflict or struggle that must be resolved?

The conflict that must be resolved is that the narrator wants to end the old mans life. This wasnt because he didnt like the old man, he loved the old man but because of his eye. He had a very pale blue eye with a film like layer over it. Every time the old mans eye laid eyes on the narrator, his blood ran cold and for that he wanted to take his life.

3. Identify the climax. And how, in the climax, is the conflict ultimately resolved?

The climax of the story is when the narrator could not handle it anymore and told the officers what he had done by tearing up the planks to only show what he had done with the old man. Do I think the conflict was ultimately resolved?, No. I feel this way because not only did he take the life of the old man but he could not handle what he had done in his own mind and that was eating him away. Although he thought he was getting rid of the problem he only made it worse by killing the old man and now having to cope with the fact of what he had done.


Araby by James Joyce


1. Trace the text's use of light and dark imagery. Quote the text. When is the only time Joyce uses light imagery in the story? What do these images represent in the story?

The only time Joyce uses light imagery in the story is when he is speaking of his friends sister where he says, "The light from the lamp opposite our door caught the white curve of her neck, lit up her hair that rested there and, falling, lit up the hand upon the railing. It fell over one side of her dress and caught the white border of a petticoat, just visible as she stood at ease." These images represent the detail that he notices about the sister when he sees her. It shows how much he likes her and takes down every little detail about her.

2. Explore Symbolism - What various things might Araby (the Bazarr) represent to the narrator?

Everything that Araby speaks of is followed by detail so the narrator can imagine everything how he sees it. For example when he speaks of the sister as in the previous question. Also when he says for example "The high, cold, empty, gloomy rooms liberated me and I went from room to room singing." He allows the narrator to invision everything exactly how it is or at least how he feels it is.

3. Identify and explore the plot - climax and falling action of the story - why did the narrator's eyes burn "with anguish and anger" at the end? What happens to him? What does he realize? What lesson does he learn?

The narrator's eyes burned "with anguish and anger" at the end was because when he finally got to the Bazzar a lot of the stalls were closed ands dark and he wasnt able to see everything in details as he wished to do so. When he is there a women asks him if he is interested in buying anything and he was not and she acted as if she did not care and just walked away and continued to speak with the two young men as she were doing before. He realizes and learns that not everyone sees and appreciates the details in things as he does and maybe no one ever will.